Ripped Off At The Pump

[1PR4BKK]

There is a Shell gas/petro station on South Pattaya Road near Third Road. You should be aware of rigged pumps.

I went there the other day and asked for a fill-up for my motorbike. I did make sure that the pump operator put the pump back to Zero (at least I thought I did). When he was finished filling up my bike (which was not on empty) the price was 130 baht. My shocked look made him immediately say, тАЬI not cheat you! You see the pump on Zero yes?тАЭ I then said that it could not be right because I just filled up the motorbike and it was 65 baht. How could be 130 baht when my tank had less gas in it then than now?

Of course he tried to explain that the pump was on zero and that he did not cheat me. I reluctantly gave him 100 baht and went to the office to complain. This was in vain since all they could do was apologize and kept asking if I saw the pump on zero.

As I was leaving the station the pump operator ran over to my bike and started arguing that he did not cheat me and that the pump was on zero. I told him I did not believe the pump calculations and that he needed to move out of my way. He gestured that he wanted to fight but when I stood up to position myself for defense he backed away but kept yelling. I then just sat back down and drove off realizing that he felt challenged but not enough to gamble on an ass-kicking.

The only explanation is that the pumps can be rigged at the pump operatorтАЩs discretion. I refuse to go back there. I went to another gas station when my bikeтАЩs fuel gauge was actually on тАЬEтАЭ (empty) the fill-up cost at that station was 70 baht. Go figure...

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[Patexpat]

This has been going on for years at that gas station - I refuse to use it and advise others to do the same.

Having worked in the petroleum industry for a while, it's a pretty simple task to remove the cover from a fuel dispenser and adjust the meter. Remove the seal and turn the wheel to the + side is all it takes. Newer meters require electronic calibration and are more difficult to tamper with.

I have had the same thing happen at the same station. When there is no customers around they drain the fuel left in the hose into a bottle for their own use later. When the unsuspecting farang pulls up to the pumps he is directed to the one with the empty hose.
The meter shows zero, when the pumping begins the hose needs to be refilled first. The secret is to pull in behind a Thai and fuel after them, they would never get away with it with a Thai customer.
I am not sure that the management is in on this, just some enterprising workers hoping to make a few baht on the side or at least free fuel for their bikes or to sell to friends.

This has been going on for years at that gas station

At least 20 years, as that is how long ago it was that they tried to charge me for twice as much petrol as my tank would hold - so obviously outrageous that they never objected when I told them to call the police or that I was leaving without paying (I left).

When there is no customers around they drain the fuel left in the hose into a bottle for their own use later. When the unsuspecting farang pulls up to the pumps he is directed to the one with the empty hose.The meter shows zero, when the pumping begins the hose needs to be refilled first.

I think this is more than a little imaginative. If you ever visit a self-service petrol station at home you will find that it is simply impossible to "drain the fuel left in the hose"without fitting an extra valve between the hose and the pump. Even if it were there are seldom "no customers around" at this particular petrol station and it would also mean keeping one pump for "farangs only", which is hardly likely to go unnoticed. Fiddling the meter is far simpler.

It is clearly impossible to say beyond any doubt whether "the management is in on this", but after this long and with so many complaints it would seem a pretty reasonable conclusion.

"simply impossible to "drain the fuel left in the hose"without fitting an extra valve between the hose and the pump. Even if it were there are seldom "no customers around" at this particular petrol station and it would also mean keeping one pump for "farangs only""

It is very simple to do without any alteration to the pump. With the pump turned off, just squeeze the nozzle, the fuel in the hose is drained out, not pumped out.

[Beachlover]

Sounds like plenty of people know about it. Think of how many customers they've lost because of this scam... serves them right!

Nothing I like better than telling someone who blatantly tries to scam me to f*ck off.... especially if they are putting on an aggressive front.

[jinks]

The nearest I came to this con was many years ago while driving through Afganistan.

The arabic number 5 to uneducated western eyes looks like a 0.
The staff fill a can with 5 liters and swtich the pump off in the office.

A westener arrives and the hose is raised, lever pulled and inserted in the filling point.
The office then turn on the electricity and the fuel delivered is overcharged by 5 liters.

(BTW Greetings from Club 17, Pa Tong, Phuket)

I thought this would have died a natural death!

Yes, it would be possible to drain the fuel line as described, though the pump attendant would need access to the control switch, which is locked - that would put the management's involvement beyond any doubt.

BL, I doubt if they are worried about losing customers - it is probably the busiest petrol station in Pattaya.

My brother was a gas attendant in the US for many years. When filling your tank, if you simply unhook and holster the pump without draining it there resides in the hose at least 15 ounces of gas...the amount that is left at the bottom portion of the hose connecting the nozzle and the pump. Over the course of a few hours the amount not dispensed can be considerable, and can easily fill up a bevy of motorbikes with a weeks worth of gas.

No switches, no faking. It's just gravity holding up the delivery and an opportunistic operator. My brother always turned the hose upside down after every finish, draining every bit when using self service.